Day One: Scholar starts bid for leadership

For William Yohan Pinlac, becoming an Aboitiz Future Leaders Program (AFLP) scholar is not simply the start of finishing college. It is the moment when years of saying “one day” give way to action — when a student stops waiting for the future and begins building it.

Pinlac, a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of the Philippines Diliman, expressed that idea in a speech that has come to embody the purpose of the AFLP: to develop young Filipinos not only into graduates, but into leaders who can create opportunities for others.

From ‘One Day’ to ‘Day One’

Pinlac spoke on behalf of the Batch 2026 AFLP scholars during Aboitiz Foundation’s Scholars Day in Makati City last 3 October.

He said that the days of saying “One day…” to refer to goals to be achieved, is over as the scholarship marks the turning point of fulfilling them.

“There will come a time when we have to stop waiting for that one day and decide that today will be Day One,” he told fellow scholars and Aboitiz Foundation representatives.

That shift — from wishing to beginning — captures what the AFLP seeks to cultivate. The program does not treat financial support as an end in itself; it treats education as the foundation for responsibility, growth and service.

Learning independence

Pinlac’s own path began long before enrolling at UP-Diliman. At 12, he left his hometown in Pangasinan to study at the Philippine Science High School in Baguio City. While many children his age still went home to their families daily, he was learning to live independently.

He said the decision was not easy, but it was deliberate. He could have chosen a school closer to home. Instead, he chose the harder path because he understood that one day he would need to rely on himself.

“There would come a time when I would be responsible for my actions and have to make important decisions based on my own judgment,” he said.

That early experience shaped his view of leadership. For Pinlac, leadership is not about having all the answers. It begins with accountability, judgment and the willingness to act.

Growth means saying yes

At UP-Diliman, Pinlac learned that academic excellence alone does not make a leader. Being surrounded by students with different experiences, talents, and aspirations taught him the value of collaboration, contribution and service.

So he began saying yes — to competitions, volunteer work, and tutoring opportunities.

“None of these were part of a perfect plan,” he said. “And I think that is exactly the point. There is no perfect plan.”

His message challenged the idea that young people must wait until they feel fully prepared before pursuing their goals. Growth, he argued, often starts with taking the first step despite uncertainty.

“Yes to an opportunity. Yes to a challenge. Even when we are not completely ready,” he said.

Courage for the first step

Pinlac acknowledged that chasing dreams can be frightening. Stepping outside one’s comfort zone, facing failure, and not knowing what comes next are all part of the journey.

“But let us not turn a scary dream into a nightmare simply because we were too afraid to chase it,” he urged peers.

For him, leadership begins in that moment of courage: “Not in knowing exactly what to do, but in having the courage to take the first step despite not knowing what comes next.”

This is the kind of leadership the AFLP aims to develop — leaders who are resilient, adaptable, and willing to act even before every condition is ideal.

Creating opportunities for others

The AFLP, according to Pinlac, gives scholars the freedom to focus on learning, growing and becoming the people they hope to be.

“It is not simply about receiving an opportunity,” he said. “It is about making something out of it, and someday, using what we have learned to create opportunities for others.”

That responsibility to pay it forward is central to the program’s vision. Aboitiz Foundation describes its scholarship as a way to empower deserving Filipino students through quality education while shaping future leaders for community impact.

By supporting students financially, the foundation removes barriers. By mentoring them, exposing them to leadership development, and connecting them to the Aboitiz Group, it helps transform potential into purpose.

A shared beginning

Pinlac ended his speech by reminding his fellow scholars that, despite their different dreams and backgrounds, they now share the same opportunity.

“So let today be our Day One,” he said.

“Day One of pursuing dreams that scare them. Day One of becoming the leaders they are meant to be. And eventually, Day One of giving someone else the courage to begin their own journey.”

His words reflect the deeper promise of the AFLP: that when young people are given the means and confidence to pursue education, they do not merely secure their own futures. They become the kind of leaders who help others find their own Day One.